No. 2 seed Tommy Paul earned his first tour-level victory in four months with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of compatriot Reilly Opelka on Wednesday at the Adelaide International in Australia.
Sidelined late in 2025 by a foot injury, the two-time Adelaide semifinalist needed only 72 minutes to advance to the quarterfinals. Paul never faced a break point, committed only 11 unforced errors and withstood 15 aces by Opelka. Up next is Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic, a 6-2, 7-6 (5) winner over Italy’s Andrea Vavassori.
No. 1 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina rolled 6-3, 6-2 over Australian Rinky Hijikata. Spain’s Jaume Munar knocked out No. 3 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. France’s Ugo Humbert ousted No. 4 Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands. No. 5 Valentin Vacherot of Monaco won via walkover and Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan, handled Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 7-6 (6).
ASB Classic
Top-seeded Ben Shelton moved on to the quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-4 win against Argentina’s Francisco Comesana in Auckland, New Zealand.
Shelton struck 12 aces, saved all six break points he faced and built a 38-15 advantage in winners in the one-hour, 43-minute match. He will face another Argentinian in the final eight after No. 7 seed Sebastian Baez posted a 7-5, 6-0 win against Jenson Brooksby.
No. 3 seed Jakub Mensik of Czechia and No. 4 Luciana Darderi of Italy survived three-setters, but other seeds were not as fortunate. Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan upset No. 2 Casper Ruud of Norway 6-4, 6-4; Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard outlasted No. 5 Cameron Norrie of Great Britain 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4); Marcos Giron sent No. 6 Alex Michelsen packing with a 6-4, 6-4 win; and Eliot Spizzirri bounced No. 8 Nuno Borges of Portugal, 7-6 (6), 6-4.
–Field Level Media
